How To Save A Life
by GleeGeneration23
Summary: A Series of One shots (hopefully) in which Dutchy and Bird attempt to overcome difficulties in their relationship. Established Dutchy/Bird. Please prompt (see inside for more details) and please feel free to leave a review
1. Chapter 1

**Hi so I love this pairing and I wanted to continue it so here is another little one shot.**

**I really want to expand this story (maybe about 20 chapters) but I really need prompts to do that-it can be angsty, fluffy, episode related-whatever you guys want so please send them in...**

**Disclaimer-I own nothing **

**And please let me know what you think **

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How To Save A Life

A Series of One shots (hopefully) in which Dutchy and Bird attempt to overcome difficulties in their relationship. Established Dutchy/Bird

Chapter 1-We Need To Talk

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Dylan had been on the end of his more shares of that message, he knew what it meant and what it connotes. He's been on his end of a fair shake of break ups and he's sent this text enough times to know the damage that it can do.

Call him conceited but he had never really thought of himself as the type to get that text message.

And certainly not from Jess.

That right there and then had been his most arrogant move ever. It had been the worst thing he could have ever have done and it was enough to make him sick now he was on the receiving end of it.

But God this was Jess. This was the one woman who despite the differences between them had made him feel alive. Jessica had taken the whole of his insecurities and scars and wiped them clean like he had become a new person. She was the reason why he woke up nightmare free and with a smile on his face for the first time in the last ten years and the thought that it could all be coming to an end made him physically sick.

But really he wasn't that surprised he thought leaning in his rack on the day that they were due to come into port. Jess had been at home for the last couple of days and therefore the time that they had had was special, the three days were the only time they had to spend together until Christmas when they were all together again.

But now it looked like everything was falling apart.

And it was just when he had got it all. When he had felt like he had won.

He laid back in his rack again feeling sick, feeling burning tears in his eyes.

Damn.

The one woman he had really let himself fall for.

But that night he thought, he really thought, was he really worth it for Jess? He knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was it for him but was it the same?

She was young and stunning and had a promising career. Did she really need him getting in the way of that? Did he really want to be the reason why Jessica never got a chance to do things because she was stuck with him? The hunk of muscle that other than his brawn didn't have anything else to offer her.

Hell the age gap (while she claimed it had never been a big problem to her) was a problem for him, and there was the fact that he had nothing to offer her…hell other than the Navy he was _nothing. _

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So when he finally stepped off the ship it was with a cloud of self-loathing surrounding him, making every step he took feel like a marathon.

He really was quite proud of himself when he managed to get all the way back to his apartment without crying hysterically.

Dutchy knew at the end of the day it would all end. Everything good that had ever happened to him always ended. Why should he delude himself by thinking this was anything different?

But damn it _hurt_…it hurt much more than anything he had ever felt.

He wasn't that surprised to see Jess on his couch when he got home, they had taken to going to the other's apartment in order to surprise the other.

It was generally his since his was bigger due to his status but still it was like another bullet to the ribs because Jess looked like she _belonged_ there. In his home.

She was asleep, spread on her back her long legs stretched over the ends, she had one hand gently over her stomach and her other was curled around her head her eyes closed. There was something around her that seemed so peaceful and Dylan slipped into the chair next to her feeling nothing but exhausted.

He really didn't want this to end.

"Hey" came a quiet voice and he looked up to see Jess watching him her eyes still sleep ridden. "Hey" he said unable to stop his face twisting into a grin and coming closer to him his eyes wide and vulnerable coming closer to sit next to her.

Damn he was a pure example of machoism.

Jess smiled crawling into his lap and Dutchy closed his eyes letting the scent of strawberries and vanilla wash over him "I'm glad your home" she whispered and Dylan swallowed bitterly.

"Are you?" he asked and Jess frowned pulling away to perch on the coffee table, "Of course I am" she said looking shocked and Dutchy swallowed bitterly the knot in his throat increasing.

"What's wrong?" she asked and Dutchy bit his lip hating himself for feeling this empty. "I don't know" he confessed "You're the one that wanted to talk"

Jessica nodded "So?" she said and Dutchy let out a hollow laugh. "I know" he swallowed looking down at his hands "I know I'm not the best option that you can have, I know I'm not the best person for you but God _Jess _if you let me I swear to God I will try and make it work, I can change and before you tell me it's useless I promise you that it's not despite the age gap I can change for you…"

He was cut off from what seemed to be his last desperate attempt by Jess who had leaned over to pull him into a hug. "I'm not dumping you Dyl" she said and Dutchy half sobbed in relief letting his chin drop onto Jessica's shoulder.

After a moment of being curled against his girlfriend's neck Dylan pulled back unable to stop the confusion sweeping through his veins.

"Why did you say you needed to talk?" he asked and Jess gave an audible gulp. "Well when I was on shore leave I began to get sick" she looked down at her hands and Dutchy paused. While it hadn't been what he had been expecting, it was still enough to make him feel sick because if she wasn't leaving him in that sense then maybe she was leaving him in a another sense…

"Jess" he said but she shook her head cutting him off without even speaking.

"I'm not dying or anything" she said pausing before standing up and pacing the length of his living room. Dylan watched her with wary eyes before standing up himself, "Jessica" he said sternly and she turned to look at him.

"Dyl I'm Pregnant" she said finally and Dutchy nearly stumbled forwards his ears ringing.

She was what?

"You're…?" and Jess nodded watching him with a nervous expression that increased as Dutchy paused.

A child. A little bit of him and Jess, some solidary goodness in the dark world. Someone who would be dependent on him.

Without even thinking about it, he reached out swinging his girlfriend up into his arms and spinning her around "I love you" he whispered kissing her again and again bubbles of carefree laughter escaping his throat for the first time since the taskforce in the Gulf.

"I love you" he said smiling gently and the relief seemed to seep into Jess leaving her boneless against him.

Settling back onto the couch pulling Jess (and now their baby) with her Dutchy let her snuggle up close letting her rest her head against him, her shirt (which is actually his) creating friction against his neck.

"I love you" she said smiling against his shoulder and Dutchy smiled back unable to stop the swirling emotions running rampant throughout his body. "I love you to" he whispered back his hand cradling her flat stomach, "And I love you as well" he whispered to his unborn child before pressing a kiss into Jessica's hair.

"Are you happy?" she asked twisting to look at him and Dylan nodded unable to stop grinning like an idiot. "I have you and we are having a baby, how can I not be happy?"

And right there and then cuddled on the couch with his girlfriend and baby locked in their own private bubble Dutchy realised that that was true.

He had never been happier.

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**And Reviews are always welcome... Prompts even more so **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, a second chapter as requested... **

**If anyone has any prompts for this amazing couple then please send them in if not this can stand as a two shot-**

**Disclaimer-Nothing is mine **

**I also included a couple of OCs in this story as it is set after Season Six-**

**2Dad's is now a Petty Officer**

**Ryan is back enlisted in the Navy **

**Kate in on maternity leave and her replacement is a Lieutenant Jack WalkerSwaine's replacement is Lieutenant Erin Williams. **

**I hope that clears everything up **

**And please review and prompt**

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How To Save A Life

Chapter 2-

As Prompted by CelticFire32-A routine boarding goes slightly wrong and Dutchy is therefore left imagining the worst.

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Looking back it was all his fault.

He was an officer for Christ's sake, the second whatever was happening between him and Jess heated up he should have insisted that one of them leave the ship.

And it should have been him.

But he didn't have the balls to admit that. Because he was Dylan Mulholland and he was the sickest, selfish son of a bitch alive because he didn't want to separate himself from her for one day.

And this was why this was his fault.

This was a routine boarding that should have been the same, him, the new ex (considering Kate's pregnancy) a Lieutenant Jack Walker who seemed nice and a lot more open and friendly than Kate had been, him, 2Dads, RO, Jess, a newly re-enlisted Ryan, Charge and the new medic, a Lieutenant Erin Williams, a calm sort who seemed able to deal with the theatrics of the crew with grace.

It should have been a routine boarding. It should have been a routine fishermen boarding, get rid of the catch, get rid of the fishermen and hope they lead them to the Mother Ship.

However he had never seen the gun coming until it was too late.

Which lead them to this predicament.

Jess was lying in the Wardroom, her face a startlingly shade of white and most of her side soaked in blood she was dolled up to the eyeballs with morphine and other drugs which had knocked her out-and made her look dead. The wound itself was dark and sticky and Dylan watched as Erin began prodding and poking Jess side her face grim her hands already stained.

He had been frozen in the corner since he had helped Ryan and RO bring her in.

"X" she said grimly and Jack who had been bandaging 2Dad's head from where he had cut it on some broken glass in the ensuring gun fight after Jess had fell looked up his blonde hair dark with sweat. "I need fleet medical on the line and a med-evac as soon as I can get it"

"Why?" Dutchy croaked out his voice strangled and 2Dad's stared at him through his narrow blue eyes. Erin shrugged "Internal bleeding, the fact that she's unconscious…I can't see the bullet, no exit wound-you name it Dutchy, she's a dangerous case" she shrugged again looking helpless and Dylan swallowed the lump in his throat because Erin was straight of the HMAS Melbourne and therefore highly trained and he knew what Mike had done to get her on his ship after Swaine.

Jack nodded dragging 2Dad's out with him and Erin paused "I need to go and tell them what I know" she said turning to him "Can you contact me if anything happens?" she asked and he nodded feeling slightly sicker than he had before.

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Once she had left Dutchy let out a long breath feeling weak at the knees, Erin had patched up the wound as best she had but blood was still leaking through the heavy bandages and the stench was still rampant throughout the room making his stomach churn and twirl.

"Jess" he croaked sitting down next to her gently brushing some hair out of her eyes, she looked peaceful, young, innocent, dead.

He bit his lip trying not to cry, all he could see was her wide brown and naïve eyes catching his in surprise before she had fallen completely on the floor her body making a sickening sound.

He had tried to run to her but the increasing gunfire had made it difficult and it had been 2Dad's that had pulled her from the wreckage cutting his own head in the process from the flying glass from the Wheelhouse window.

"I'm sorry" he confessed his breath coming out in short pants as the crippling feeling of helplessness made him feel dizzy. "I know it's not much because you're here unconscious and bleeding and I should have protected you, I should have looked after you…I should have transferred. I should have never stayed on the ship, I knew everything would be compromised and…I was the selfish son of a bitch because I wanted you near me, I just got ya Jess I didn't wanna let you go"

Dylan swallowed the heavy feeling of failure sweeping throughout the whole of his body. "I love you, you know Chicken Legs" he said gently at the unconscious figure of his girlfriend "And if you make it through this then I promise you that I will do anything you ask of me…I promise you anything you want, just please make it through this please don't leave me alone."

He swallowed against the rising vomit as Erin came in followed closely by the CO. "We got out Med-Evac" said her voice triumphant "Dutchy go make sure the ship is ready to receive them" he said and Dutchy nodded unable to disobey the order but hating the fact that he had to leave Jess alone.

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He barely it to the Boat Deck before he was sick over the side.

"Whoa Dutch" came the unmistakable voice of 2Dad's and Dylan couldn't do anything but sink to his knees retching. 2Dad's pressed him into a sitting position letting him breath passing him a bottle of water he had grabbed from the kitchen.

"You're ok Dutch" he muttered rubbing his hand down his back as Dylan breathed heavily through his nose.

2Dad's paused biting his lip "Dylan" he asked and Dutchy blinked at the lack of navel language and the personal tone in which the younger man used. "Are you and Jessica?" he paused before nodding "Wow" he muttered.

"Leo" he whispered but the (now) Petty Officer patted him on the shoulder "We don't need to talk about it" he said looking unnaturally serious "I know that you and her are far too professional for do anything on the ship and that you have a plan or something"

Dutchy nodded taking another swig of water "Ok" he said quietly "Bird's tough," 2Dad's said finally "She's tougher than she looks to anyone and I reckon that she's gonna be alright"

His expression trailed off and 2Dad's nodded again "Thanks Leo" he nodded patting him on the leg. "You really love her?" he asked and Dylan nodded "Good" 2Dad's said finally "Because If she makes it out of this and you fuck her up I will take my tool kit and fuck you up"

There was a pause before Dutchy bitterly laughed and he thanked the lucky stars above that Leo gave him a moment of privacy to wipe his eyes. "You need to get it together Dutch" he said serious "Wait till your home before you break, come on" he muttered "Tender moment over"

Dutchy nodded. He had to get his grip together. If he hadn't been so serious, if he hadn't been worried sick or confused over his feeling or desperate for everything to for once move on with his life then he would have worried about another frightening experience that he had never seen in action.

He couldn't wait to tell Jess that 2Dad's had been serious for more than five minutes.

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**And tell me what you think...and please leave a prompt if you have one **


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